Street-railway switch.



E. A; PETERSON; STREET RAILWAY'SWI'I'GH. APPLIOATIQN FILED OCT. 3, 1908.

Patented Dec. 28, 1909.

. ,INVENTOR WITNESSES FFIQFZ.

EPHRAIIVI A. PETERSON, 0F ROCKFORD, ILLINOIS.

STREET-RAILWAY SWITCH.

eaten.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 28, 190%.

Application filed October 3, 1908. Serial No. 456,081.

To all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, EIHRAIM A. PETER- soN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing in the city of Rockford, county of Winne-- bago, andState of Illinois, have invented a now, simple, and ImprovedStreet-Railway Switch, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for operating street railway switches,such as one way, single or double switches, without the aid of a switchiron now commonly used.

This device will positively prevent the car from splitting the switch,in other words, it will prevent the rear truck from entering the othertrack after the front truck of the car has passed over the switch whichis now very often the case especially when the switch point is worn alittle.

My switch has a positive spring lock against either side of the rail.WVhatever direction the switch is set the wheels of the car will openthe said switch and when the said wheels leave the switch it springsback to its natural position and thereby leaving it in position for thenext car to pass over the said switch. This switch may also be operateddirect from the car for double switching purposes, by applying anysuitable trip lever mechanism to the platform of a car, and the saidtrip lever mechanism to trip a lever which is pivotally secured to a boxwhich carries the said switch mechanism.

I attain these objects through the mechanism as illustrated by theaccompanying drawing, of which Figure l is a plan view showing theswitch mechanism in an open position for the main line. Fig. 2. is aplan view showing the switch as being open for a branch line. Fig. 3. isa sectional view showing the side elevation of the switch mechanism. Thedifferent parts are indicated by letters throughout the diiierent views.

The rod B is adjustably secured to the switch tongue A, and the said rodoperates through a stufling box M. This will prevent water or dirt fromentering into the switch mechanism. The said rod B is also operatedthrough a spring I, this spring aims to keep the switch tongue upagainst one side of the rail, and one end of the said rod B is securedto a second spring H. This spring is heavier than the said spring I, soas to overcome the compression of the said spring I, and heavy enough tooperate the switch tongue A. One end of the said spring H is secured toa block Gr, said block is pivotally secured to a link F, and a lever Eis pivotally secured to the box 0 by a stud J. The said link F inconnection with the said lever E when operated forms a knee joint andthereby operates the said switch tongue A, the said tongue being rigidlyconnected to the movable block G by the said spring H, of which one endof the said spring is secured to the block and the op posed end securedto the said rod B, and when the said lever E is thrown in the forwarddirection, the said spring I is compressed, and when the wheels or a carpass between the rail and switch tongue the said spring I is releasedand the spring H compressed, and when the said lever E is thrown in theopposite direction the springs are both in a normal condition when thewheels of a car enter between the rail and switch tongue. IVhile in thisposition the said spring I is being compressed and when the wheels leavethe said switch the said spring is released and the said switch tongueis moved back to its previous position. The aforedescribed mechanism isall inclosed in a box C, which has a cover D, said cover may be made inone or more sections, and the said cover lies flush with the top of thepavement in the street or rails as to allow wagons or anything else topass over with out harming the same, the said cover D has slots L Lthrough which the said lever E operates; the said box O is supported bybrick or any other suitable foundation.

Having thus described my improvements which I claim as my invention anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a street railway thecombination with the main line rails and a movable switch tongue, of arod secured to said switch tongue, and the said rod operated through astuifing box and through a spring, the tension of the said spring actingupon the said rod in such a way as to keep the said switch tongue upagainst one side of the rail, and one end of the said rod is secured toa second spring so as to keep the said switch tongue up against theother side of the rail in such a way as to allow the wheels of a car topass between the said switch tongue and rail and to permit said switchtongue to.

spring back into its natural position after said wheels have left theswitch tongue, substantially as described.

ries the switch mechanism; the said box carries a cover which has slots,which the said lever operates through and when the said 15 lever istripped, the said switch tongue will move substantially as set forth.

I11 testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

I EPHRAIM A. PETERSON.

2. In a street railway the combination with the main line rails andmovable switch tongue, of a rod secured to said switch tongue, and thesaid rod operating through a stufiing box and through a spring thetension of said spring acting upon the said rod, and one end of said rodis secured toa second spring and one end of said second spring issecured to a block and said block is pivotally secured to a link and thesaid link is lVitnesses: pivotally secured to a lever and the said SAML.ANDERSON, lever is pivotally secured to a box which car- D. S. HANSEN.

